Chapter 552
Chapter 552
“Energy recovery! This was our doing, right?”
Bae Se-jin pointed at the hologram screen.
[Park Moon-dae (ㅁvㅁ): Chatting with an acting coach.]
On the screen, the pixelated Park Moon-dae still looked worn out and exhausted, but his condition seemed better than before.
The energy gauge was no longer a thin, flickering line barely registering a single pixel. It had thickened slightly!
It was still a bright red color, signaling danger, but progress was progress. Keun-dal shouted in excitement.
“Yes! Delivering energy by utilizing Traits is definitely a success!”
“Alright!”
The group mentally reviewed the formula.
When the timing aligned for Park Moon-dae to use one of their Traits, they just had to bestow a 'Blessing' at that exact moment.
Doing so allowed them to provide energy as a reward.
[Additional Energy Slot Unlocked!]
Furthermore, thanks to Park Moon-dae’s increased energy bar, additional connections were now possible!
“The capacity is now two people!”
“Okay.”
“Good, good.”
“If we keep rotating and letting everyone use their Traits once… Hm?”
However, the environment surrounding Park Moon-dae, who they thought had become an actor, changed once again.
[Park Moon-dae (ㅁㅅㅠ): Manufacturing donuts.]
Park Moon-dae was now working hard, kneading dough in some shabby little shop.
“…Donuts?”
“Um, it looks like a part-time job.”
Lee Se-jin frowned as he peered into the screen.
In the fast-forwarded footage, Park Moon-dae struggled even as he diligently fried donuts.
“…Can’t we help with something like this?”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ryu Cheong-woo muttered. “His efficiency seems to have dropped significantly due to low stamina….”
Efficiency.
At that moment, everyone’s gaze fixed on one person.
They turned toward the man capable of creating golden-ratio hotteok using nothing but his fingers, without any measurements.
“…??”
Kim Rae-bin looked around in bewilderment!
“Rae, Rae-bin.”
“Yeah. That’s the one.”
After a brief, hushed discussion, the group rearranged their positions.
And then.
[<‘Midnight Maestro (★★★★★)’ has entered the channel.>]
[Midnight Maestro bestows a Blessing upon you!]
[Trait: Increased Creation Speed]
Suddenly, the Park Moon-dae on the screen began churning out donuts at a much faster rate!
“Ohhh!”
Kim Rae-bin looked down at the screen with a flushed face.
There wasn't a hint of regret that his extreme artistic talent—capable of conjuring beautiful musical inspirations in an instant—was being used for mere donut production.
‘Well, that is part of his charm!’
Keun-dal finally lowered his guard a little and adjusted the pop-ups with overwhelmed eyes.
[Midnight Maestro is satisfied.]
[Midnight Maestro has sponsored you! : Energy +]
Kim Rae-bin looked up with a bright expression.
“It seems to have gone well!”
“Yeah!”
Seon A-hyun smiled broadly as he watched Park Moon-dae’s energy bar, which had now turned orange and grown a bit longer.
But the moment was brief.
“But why is Moon-dae working in a place like this?”
“Pardon?”
Ryu Cheong-woo muttered, sounding puzzled.
“If it were the Gun-woo hyung I know… he could easily do private tutoring.”
Or he could even be a data seller.
Either way, it would be physically easier than this. Why was he doing that?
“Just a moment.”
After much trial and error, Keun-dal finally succeeded in receiving the backstory information.
[Park Moon-dae has crash-landed in America! Without a passport or legal status, he is struggling to make a living as an illegal immigrant working part-time jobs…….
What will his fate be?]
“…….”
“…….”
“Ca-Can’t we make him win the lottery or something?”
“Please.”
[Hey! I know I’m invisible, but isn’t it a standard rule in those 'raising a daughter' games to just duplicate money?]
“We can’t….”
[Ughhh.]
It was a pathetic sight.
Cheong-ryeo’s lips curled into a smirk.
[The Focusing Genius Actor recommends a gambling den!]
What is wrong with these guys?
For now, I continued frying donuts with a dubious expression.
Yes, I was currently working a part-time job. And this kind of labor was more bearable than before.
Surprisingly, it was because my physical condition had improved.
Before, I felt like I was dying, as if I’d just run a marathon after pulling an all-night session. Now, it just felt like I had a really bad case of the flu.
Based on experience, this was something I could endure through sheer willpower.
‘And it’s probably thanks to this.’
[The Focusing Genius Actor is agonizing….]
[The Focusing Genius Actor wants to sponsor you.]
I stared at the chat pop-up with a skeptical face.
My stamina had increased from the moment I received energy through this 'sponsorship' thing.
‘How on earth did they do it?’
I was grateful, but I really wanted to ask where it came from. I had a strong feeling that Keun-dal was the source of all this communication.
‘I just hope they aren't doing anything dangerous.’
If you overdo it, you’ll end up like me.
I’d told them several times to be careful, but seeing the pop-up continue to act on its own, it didn't seem to have much effect.
[Two cherry donuts!]
[Coming up.]
I immediately responded to the owner’s request and packed the donuts.
For the record, the working environment here wasn't great. They were willing to hire me without even checking if I was an illegal immigrant… well, I should be grateful.
If they try to stiff me on my wages, I’ll have to threaten to report myself to immigration just to ruin the shop.
“Phew.”
Packing complete.
I returned to the production line and applied chocolate coating to the freshly fried donuts.
My speed was surprisingly high compared to my tired body, and this too was thanks to some… 'Blessing' I received from the chat pop-up.
‘Was it Increased Creation Speed?’
Then it was obvious.
The one who gave me this, 'Midnight Maestro'… must be Kim Rae-bin.
‘To think he’d waste a crazy, broken Trait that speeds up composition on something like frying donuts…….’
…But it was far too convenient to complain.
‘Damn it.’
I began churning out donuts as if possessed.
Each one fit perfectly, giving me the sensation of snapping puzzle pieces together!
[Midnight Maestro feels a sense of accomplishment.]
Thanks. Dammit.
I suppressed a sigh as my stamina recovered once more.
I didn't know if they could hear me, and this whole 'stamina blessing' business was ridiculous enough to make me laugh, but….
‘…The fact that they’re there is what matters.’
It was embarrassing to admit, but it gave me a mental boost as well.
Because I could see the possibility of escaping this godforsaken situation.
I kept my hands moving.
After finishing the work by lining up the donuts in the display case, I took a short self-appointed break.
If I reported back too early, they’d just dump more work on me.
“Hooo.”
It was the moment I leaned against the counter.
The smartphone in my pocket vibrated.
Bzzzzzt!
It was a text.
From LeTi.
[Gun-woo~ How have you been? ^^ The music video teaser has been released!]
“…….”
Already?
Cheong-ryeo watched the link without much interest.
It led to a typical breakup song.
— Now I know
Even the small whispers and careful touches
Were all love
A song sung in a lonely, heartbreaking murmur about the things one didn't realize until the breakup.
The lyrics about regretting not looking back then struck a chord with common human emotions.
It was the kind of song perfectly suited for a female soloist aiming for public appeal rather than a dedicated fandom.
‘It’s always like this.’
Cheong-ryeo looked down at his smartphone screen from a slanted angle.
This was a single album that was released almost every time around this period.
And he received this request about half the time.
“She’s from an affiliate, you know? Just share it once on your SNS.”
“Yes.”
There was no risk in uploading a female solo ballad singer in her 40s—a married one at that—to his SNS.
Even in a situation where one of the members had caused a major scandal with a dating rumor, it was the same.
It had already been a month since he’d resumed his regular SNS posting cycle. Anyone would see this and assume he was doing a favor for the agency.
Besides, this song lacked the buzz to become a significant variable.
‘It’s just enough to save face.’
It would hover around the top 30 and then disappear.
After making his cold assessment, Cheong-ryeo entered a music site to take a streaming screenshot.
Then, he raised an eyebrow slightly.
— 29. A Bad Night (New!)
The ranking of the song had risen very slightly.
‘Hmm.’
Cheong-ryeo rested his hand on his chin.
A rise of this magnitude was overwhelmingly likely to be a mere coincidence.
A minor fluctuation where completely unrelated factors happened to intertwine like a spiderweb and influence each other only in this specific restart.
It was a trace that would likely vanish if he started over.
However….
‘There’s no harm in finding out the cause.’
Music charts were something he always paid attention to.
He lightly flipped through the pages, beginning to trace the web backward.
It was then.
[What are you doing?]
The Help Menu popped up after a day of silence. Cheong-ryeo replied in a somewhat pleasant mood.
“Analyzing.”
The Help Menu was silent for a moment, then replied in a slightly more softened tone.
[Seems okay. The atmosphere has calmed down a lot.]
“…….”
Cheong-ryeo thought to himself.
It seemed the Help Menu had misunderstood his answer of 'analyzing' and was talking about VTIC’s current reputation.
Coincidentally, SNS posts related to VTIC were passing by on his smartphone screen.
[Still, I wish they’d exclude that guy from the comeback using a health excuse or something. The one with the dating rumor.]
He was right.
Cheong-ryeo glanced at 'the guy with the dating rumor' and replied nonchalantly.
“I should exclude him next time.”
After the restart, that is.
Whether it understood the implication or not, the Help Menu didn't respond for a moment. But it didn't try to stop the restart anymore, either.
It simply asked this:
[Then, which of the current members are you going to keep?]
“I wonder.”
Despite the vague answer, the Help Menu replied indifferently.
[Jin Chae-yul is a permanent fixture, I assume.]
Quite a good guess.
Cheong-ryeo smiled faintly.
“Because he’s appropriate.”
[Good stats, decent personality, and a mild temperament, but with a strong enough mentality to pull his own weight in almost any situation.]
Cheong-ryeo didn't deny it and smiled broadly.
“Yes. The fact that there’s no need to create a special environment for him to do his part… that’s his most useful trait.”
It sounded as if he were describing a 'sturdy, easy-to-grow houseplant.'
Park Moon-dae thought this was distasteful, but he realized that Cheong-ryeo was treating the Help Menu with a slightly lower hurdle than before.
For one, wasn't he actually explaining things to him, unlike at the beginning?
‘Seriously, nothing good comes from being consumed by that system bastard.’
Now that he was keeping his wits about him, the conversation was actually flowing quite well.
Taking advantage of the opening, Park Moon-dae even asked outright.
[Don't tell me you're thinking of trying something high-risk now since you're going to restart anyway?]
Cheong-ryeo kept his eyes on the screen and gave a simple answer.
“I’m not.”
The time for gaining 'unexpected' information through such actions had already passed during the early restarts.
Now, he had to maintain the control variable of 'Cheong-ryeo acting like Cheong-ryeo' to obtain reliable data.
This was actually better for Park Moon-dae.
‘He’s going to release the next album properly.’
It seemed he had no intention of doing anything crazy just because he was planning to scrap this run.
Satisfied with having bought time to access the terminal, Park Moon-dae was about to dive back into the depths of the system to continue his search.
Then he suddenly realized.
‘…I see.’
Cheong-ryeo intended to maintain the stance of 'doing his best to win the Grand Prize' here as well.
To put it another way, even here, no junior male idols from VTIC would be able to debut.
Just like always.
[……Right.]
Park Moon-dae briefly thought of someone.
The guy who had become almost certain of his own debut after meeting him.
— I will contact you regularly.
Ju-dan, who was currently back in Korea.
He probably didn't know that LeTi’s next boy group was already doomed.
‘…….’
Park Moon-dae felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
In the meantime, Cheong-ryeo had finally found the reason why the music ranking had risen.
“So this was it.”
Unexpected comments were scrolling across the screen.
— Came back to see my future husband again
— He looks like a rookie actor, but his aura is so good ^^
‘…??’
Park Moon-dae almost rubbed his non-existent eyes.
What Cheong-ryeo was looking at… was the music video teaser.
The one he had appeared in.
‘Crazy.’
— …….
A man standing by the sea was seen turning his head with a sorrowful expression.
The mysterious atmosphere, the exquisite camera angles, and the backlighting combined to create a strange charm.
— I heard this person is under LeTi!
It wasn't exactly viral, but small talk was picking up in communities, which seemed to have given the music ranking a slight positive nudge.
‘This is the cause.’
It was a new anomaly unique to this restart. Though it wasn't much.
Cheong-ryeo spoke as an extension of their small talk.
“He’s a talent I haven't seen before.”
[…….]
“Hmm, since he’s under our company.”
Cheong-ryeo analyzed quickly.
Judging by the fact that he hadn't been funneled into the idol line, he was likely in his mid-to-late 20s or older.
An irregularly scouted talent, almost no training period.
‘In that case….’
Assuming this was a few years ago, would he have utility as a resource?
The more options he had, the safer it was. Though the probability was slim, he was just about to consider collecting information when the Help Menu suddenly popped up.
[He looks too old to join your group.]
[Anyway, I’m leaving now.]
Leaving that blunt message, the pop-up stopped.
“Help Menu?”
True to his warning that he would do as he pleased, the guy didn't answer.
However, Cheong-ryeo knew he hadn't disappeared. The bright red error deletion window remained clearly visible.
“Ha.”
He chuckled and took his hands off the smartphone.
He didn't need to control this behavior of the Help Menu.
Unless he was looking at a new person’s profile, there was no gain or loss whether the Help Menu—which was just text anyway—was there or not.
Besides, seeing as it returned even after being deleted, it would probably stay attached in the next restart as well.
‘Does that make it a constant instead of a variable?’
Something that is always there without change.
‘Hmm.’
Cheong-ryeo thought faintly that it might not be so bad.
I thought to himself.
Is this the power of the 'Focusing Genius Actor' trait?
— The reaction to the music video teaser is very good, Gun-woo!
Messages from LeTi kept coming.
At this stage, if there’s even a tiny bit of public reaction, the staff tend to exaggerate it as 'very good,' and this was exactly that.
Their attitude had become extremely proactive.
— You have two weeks left of your US trip, right? We’d like to pick you up at the airport. What’s your flight information?
‘I’m screwed.’
I pressed my eyes.
I was going to delay them by making up a plausible excuse.
‘Should I say I broke my leg?’
No, then they’d probably come to escort me personally.
This was all a side effect of the video turning out too well.
The image of being arrested for illegal entry because I didn't have a passport flashed through my mind, making my eyes twitch.
D-14 until entry.
And there was… no way out!
[Park Moon-dae (ㅁ_ㅁ;): Searching for a way to enter the country….]
[Park Moon-dae (ㅁ_ㅠ;): Despairing!]
Inside the hologram pop-up, the pixelated Park Moon-dae slumped to the ground.
“Oh my god.”
“……A way to get to Korea without a passport?”
And surprisingly, a moment later.
“I’ve got it!”
The members of the <Raising Park Moon-dae> operation team had found a solution!